The UK is expected to enjoy 18C sunshine today which forecasters say could be the warmest day of the year so far – but the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for later in the week.
The temperature is likely to surpass that of some Greek islands including Santorini, Mykonos and Crete, where many people have travelled for the Easter holidays.
High pressure moving across the nation has “timed itself nicely”, the Met Office said.
However, people have been urged not to underestimate the strength of the sun, with UV levels as strong as the “back end of the summer”, bringing the risk of sunburn.
Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said the weather for the chunk of the UK is going to be fairly reasonable.
“The only place we’ll probably see a change is Northern Ireland where it’ll turn increasingly breezy, cloudy and eventually damp,” Mr Snell said.
“But for the most part it will be fairly sunny and temperatures may peak at around 18C – so, pleasantly warm out there.”
The warmest day of 2023 to date was on 30 March when a temperature of 17.8C was recorded in the Suffolk village of Santon Downham.
However, the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for strong winds on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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The warning covers parts of Northern Ireland, southwest Scotland, Wales and western England. It will last from 3pm on Tuesday to 6am on Wednesday.
It has issued another yellow warning for strong winds from 6am to midnight on Wednesday which covers parts of Scotland and southwest England.
This is what the yellow warning means, according to the Met Office:
• Some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely • Some bus and train services will probably be affected, with some journeys taking longer • Delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes and bridges likely • Some short-term loss of power and other services is possible • It’s likely that some coastal routes, seafronts and coastal communities will be affected by spray and/or large waves
Gusts of 45-50mph are possible inland and perhaps in excess of 60mph for a time around some Irish Sea coastal areas.
Image: Pic: Met Office
An estimated two million British holidaymakers are thought to have travelled abroad during the Easter bank holiday weekend, according to the travel trade organisation, ABTA.
But anyone arriving back next week can expect a wet welcome home, with unsettled conditions likely to continue on Easter Monday and through the week.
Mr Snell warned it would turn “wet and windy” as we go into next week.
“Monday is certainly going to be that day of change, as low pressure starts to dominate the scene.
“With blustery showers, it’s the day to do anything you want indoors.”
Met Office chief meteorologist, Jason Kelly, added: “A change is on the way for the UK weather as the dry, settled, and in places warm conditions are replaced by a more unsettled weather pattern from Sunday afternoon.
“This change happens first for Northern Ireland and Scotland, where Sunday afternoon rain will be replaced by blustery showers overnight and into Monday.”
A low-pressure system is set to bring a “sustained period of wet and windy weather” from Tuesday and into Wednesday, with the potential for heavy rainfall and even snow – although this will probably be confined to high ground in the north of the UK, the Met Office said.
Winds could reach speeds of 70mph in some exposed upland or coastal regions, with downpours set to dump up to 40mm of rain, although the forecast remains uncertain at this stage.
Police have appealed for help to identify an additional 18 people suspected of public order offences and assaults on emergency workers on the day of the Unite the Kingdom march.
Between 110,000 and 150,000 people attended the rally in central London on 13 September, the Metropolitan Police estimates.
Protesters heard a number of speeches, including from far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who organised the rally and called it the “biggest freedom of speech” event in British history.
Image: Pics: Met Police
An anti-racism counter-protest, attended by about 5,000 campaigners, also took place, with the two groups clashing on Whitehall and Trafalgar Square, separated by lines of police.
Police previously said 24 people were arrested at the protests, 23 of whom are believed to have been involved in the Unite the Kingdom rally, while one was believed to be involved in the counter-protest.
Officers now want to speak to a further 18 people “in connection with a range of public order offences and assaults on emergency workers” and have released 16 new images.
“Our post-event investigation continues and officers have looked through hundreds of hours of CCTV footage to review evidence to help with further inquiries,” said Detective Chief Inspector Natalie Norris.
“We have 28 people we want to speak to in connection with a range of offences – and we are again appealing for the public’s help to track them down.”
People may have travelled from outside London, so she said she was asking people “across the country” to look at a number of pictures that have been released and to get in touch if they recognise anyone.
The UK is set to push for a peace plan for the Middle East at the UN General Assembly after recognising the state of Palestine.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to use the summit to address civilian suffering in war-torn Gaza and aim to strengthen “the international consensus on our pathway for peace in the Middle East”.
She will hold bilateral meetings to advance elements of the peace plan, including security measures to ensure Hamas has no role in the future governance of Gaza, according to the Foreign Office.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who won’t attend the summit, announced on Sunday that the UK recognises Palestine as an independent state, to “revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution”.
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2:00
‘Ordinary people deserve to live in peace’
It is a significant moment in the history of Britain’s involvement in the region, and comes as the number of people killed during the Gaza conflict continues to rise and conditions for the people trapped become even more desperate.
Australia, Canada and Portugal made similar announcements, with France expected to follow suit at the UN on Monday.
The move was met with fierce backlash by Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying it was “absurd” and a “huge reward to terrorism”. He also vowed that a Palestinian state “will not happen”.
Image: Flags of Palestine and Israel are projected onto the Eiffel Tower. Pic: AP/Christophe Ena
Separately, an Israeli official said the “full or partial annexation of the West Bank” is now “an option under consideration in response” to the move.
US President Donald Trump also addressed the coordinated recognition of the state of Palestine by the UK, Australia, Canada and Portugal, saying “I’m not in that camp” because recognising a Palestinian state was “rewarding Hamas”.
The families of hostages held in Gaza called it a “betrayal of humanity and a move that rewards Hamas while 48 hostages remain in captivity”.
Image: A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches along the Muwasi, in southern Gaza. Pic: AP/Jehad Alshrafi
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the recognition of the state of Palestine would allow it to “live side by side with the State of Israel in security, peace, and good neighbourliness”.
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi reportedly celebrated the move as a victory for “the justice of our cause”.
But Sir Keir was clear to emphasise that recognition of Palestine was “not a reward for Hamas”, saying the terror group “can have no future, no role in government, no role in security” in a future state and confirming plans to ratchet up sanctions on Hamas “in the coming weeks”.
“Our call for a genuine two-state solution is the exact opposite of their hateful vision,” he added.
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1:17
Gazans react after Starmer recognises Palestinian statehood
The prime minister also repeated his criticism of Israel, which for nearly two years has waged war on the densely populated Gaza Strip.
“The Israeli government’s relentless and increasing bombardment of Gaza, the offensive of recent weeks, the starvation and devastation are utterly intolerable,” he said.
Image: Destroyed buildings in Gaza, as seen from Israeli side of the border. Pic: Reuters
The number of people killed in Gaza since the IDF launched its offensive following the 7 October attacks has now risen above 65,000, according to Hamas-run health authorities.
“This death and destruction horrifies all of us. It must end,” Sir Keir said.
Image: An updated map of Israel and Palestine on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website
In recognising Palestine as a state, the UK does so based on 1967 borders to be finalised as part of future negotiations. It would be led by a “reformed Palestinian Authority”.
The UK also acknowledges “all legal rights and obligations of statehood” for Palestine.
An updated map on the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website now has the West Bank and Gaza labelled as ‘Palestine’ rather than the ‘Occupied Palestinian Territories’. This change has been rolled out across the website.
Sir Keir Starmer has announced the UK has officially recognised Palestine as a state.
“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine,” the prime minister said on X, alongside a longer video statement.
“In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East, we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution.
“That means a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state. At the moment, we have neither.”
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Canada and Australia also officially recognised Palestinian statehood on Sunday, ahead of a conference of the UN General Assembly in New York this week.
It is a significant moment in the history of Britain’s involvement in the region, and comes as the death toll from the Israeli war on Gaza continues to rise and conditions for the people trapped become even more desperate.
Image: An updated map of the region the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website
In recognising Palestine as a state, the UK does so based on 1967 borders to be finalised as part of future negotiations. It would be led by a “reformed Palestinian Authority”.
The UK also acknowledges “all legal rights and obligations of statehood” for Palestine.
An updated map on the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website now has the West Bank and Gaza labelled as ‘Palestine’ rather than the ‘Occupied Palestinian Territories’. This change has been rolled out across the website.
Image: Protesters in Tel Aviv calling for the release of hostages. Pic: AP
Sir Keir calls on Hamas to release the hostages
The prime minister repeated his calls for the the Israeli hostages – held in captivity since the brutal attacks on Israel on 7 October, 2023 – to be released by Hamas.
“I have met British families of the hostages. I see the torture that they endure each and every day. Pain that strikes deep in people’s hearts across Israel and here in the United Kingdom.
“The hostages must be released immediately and we will keep fighting to bring them home.”
Sir Keir was also clear to emphasise that recognition of Palestine was “not a reward for Hamas”, saying that the terror group “can have no future, no role in government, no role in security” in a future state.
“I have directed work to sanction other Hamas figures in the coming weeks,” he added.
Image: Huge amounts of Gaza have been razed to the ground. Pic: Reuters
Starmer calls on Israel to end Gaza offensives
Sir Keir also repeated his criticism of Israel, which for nearly two years has waged a brutal war on the densely-populated Gaza Strip.
“The Israeli government’s relentless and increasing bombardment of Gaza, the offensive of recent weeks, the starvation and devastation are utterly intolerable.”
The death toll in Gaza since the IDF launched its offensive following the 7 October attacks has now risen above 65,000 people, according to Hamas-run health authorities.
“This death and destruction horrifies all of us. It must end,” he said.
Image: A pro-Palestinian march in London earlier this year. Pic: PA
British people ‘desperately want to see’ peace
Sir Keir also said: “Ordinary people, Israeli and Palestinian, deserve to live in peace. To try to rebuild their lives free from violence and suffering.
“That’s what the British people desperately want to see.”
But he warned that the possibility of a Palestinian state was in danger of vanishing forever.
“With the actions of Hamas, the Israeli government escalating the conflict, and settlement building being accelerated in the West Bank, the hope of a two-state solution is fading, but we cannot let that light go out.
“That is why we are building consensus with leaders in the region and beyond, around our framework for peace.”
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15:16
What changed in UK’s Gaza policy?
Sir Keir said this is a “practical plan” to bring people together behind a “common vision” that moves from a ceasefire in Gaza to negotiations on a two-state solution.